Toe-protector for skate-blades.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

T W. BRYANT.

TOE PROTECTOR FOR SKATE BLADES- APPLIOATION IILBD JAN. 31. 1903.

WIT 555.55 I? I 450? UNITED STATES Patented February 28, 1905.

THOMAS WALLACE BRYANT, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

TOE-PROTECTOR FOR SKATE-BLADES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,417, dated February 28, 1905.

' Application filed January 31, 1903. Serial No. 141,363.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WALLAoE BRY- ANT, a resident of Torrington, in the county of Litchiield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toe-Protectors for Skate-Blades; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved toeprotector for skates, the object of the invention being to provide a removable or permanently-attached ball or sphere or otherwise shaped enlargement or button for the toe or point of the skate blade or runner which will serve to prevent injury to persons and objects with which the skate may come in contact.

In skating-rinks that class of skates known as racing skates, having long blades or runners, are not permitted to be used, as it is deemed dangerous on account of the injuries such blades can inflict, and by providing my improved protector such objection is overcome.

With these objects in view the invention consists in a ball or sphere or otherwise shaped enlargement or button afiixed to the toe of the blade or runner in such manner as to form an enlargement at the sides and top of the blade, preventing the sharp point thereof from injuring persons and objects.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating my improvements applied to a skate blade or runner. Fig. 2 is a view in section thereof, and Fig. 3 is a view of the protector removed.

1 represents the blade or runner, supported in any suitable frame and projecting beyond the latter at its forward end, as clearly shown. This is a well-known form of racing-skate, having a sharp toe or point, which I protect by my improved ball or sphere 2. This ball or sphere is made with a central groove extending about twothirds through the ball and of a width to receive the blade point or toe. A screw 3 is screwed into alined holes in the sections of ball or sphere 3 and through a hole in blade 1 to secure the ball in place, and this screw can be readily removed when it is desired to detach the ball.

I might of course instead of extending the screw through a hole in the blade provide a notch or socket in the blade and screw through one side of the ball only and into this notch. I might also rivet the ball in place, and various other fastening devices might be employed.

It will be seen that the ball not only forms enlargements on both sides of the blade, but also above the same and is in a position to be struck when the blade comes into contact with an object;

While I have described and shown the enlargement or button as a ball or sphere, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be confined to this particular shape, as a great variety of differently-shaped enlargements or buttons may be provided to suit the taste of the trade, and this application is drawn to cover any form of enlargement or button which will perform the functions of a toeprotector for'the blade or runner.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a skateblade having a pointed toe, a button having a slot to receive the toe, said button having a spherical shape and so disposed on the toe of the blade that it will present hemispherical faces at respective sides of the toe and a curved face over the top of the toe, said spherical button being so placed on the blade that its forward curved portion will be approximately coincident with the pointed end of the toe, and a fastening device passing transversely through said button and blade.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a skaterunner curved at its forward end and terminating in a point, a spherical button so disposed on the runner as to have a portion substantially concentric to and coincident with a portion of the curved end of the runner and pro In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS WALLACE BRYANT.

WVitnesses:

DWIGHT W. POST, WM. H. BRONSON. 

